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71-1145: Reverend Benjamin Chavis, Jr. Alfred "Skip" Robinson, United League of Mississippi Reverend William Wipfler, National Council of Churches The Congregation of Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic The Infant Formula Action Coalition Father J. Bryan Hehir , U.S. Catholic Conference The Sanctuary Movement Reverend Charles Harper (Special Recognition Award) The Free South Africa Movement Frances Arbour (Special Recognition Award) Pete Seeger Washington Office on Latin America Charles L. Clements, M.D. The National Labor Committee in Support of Democracy and Human Rights in El Salvador Robert Scherrer (Special Recognition Award) Richard Trumka , President, United Mine Workers Union of America Father Jim Felts and Proyecto de Cristo Rey (Special Recognition Award) La Mujer Obrera, El Paso, Texas Sam Buffone and Michael Tigar , lawyers for

142-612: A freshman . He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1969). Chavis worked in the civil rights movement, leading a march in 1970 to the state capital in protest after three white men were acquitted of killing Henry D. Marrow in Oxford. He was a leader of the Wilmington Ten , who all were convicted of arson during a civil rights protest in

213-631: A Minister of the United Church of Christ. In 2013, Chavis began writing weekly columns for the National Newspaper Association. His columns both insightful and educational, have been published in the country's leading minority newspapers, such as The AFRO . Theologically, Chavis has worked for decades on identifying the common points of unity between the three Abrahamic faiths of Judaism , Christianity and Islam . Today, Chavis continues to work on ecumenical and interfaith matters across

284-430: A Telecommunications Task Force of board members and industry leaders to ensure that African Americans took part in the ownership, management, and total employment package of President Clinton's proposed "National Information Superhighway." The NAACP conducted a voter education teleconference in seventeen cities across the U.S. to prepare South African citizens residing in the U.S. and NAACP volunteers for participation in

355-769: A high school student, Chavis became a statewide youth coordinator in North Carolina for Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He also joined CORE , SNCC and AFSCME . In 1968, Chavis also worked for the presidential campaign of Robert F. Kennedy . After his graduation from UNCC in 1969, Chavis returned to Oxford and taught at the Mary Potter High School, which were still segregated for African-American students although federal courts had ordered

426-553: A la Minería Metálica en El Salvador Honduras Human Rights Platform Guatemala National Police Archives Bethlehem, The Migrant's Shelter (Mexico) The Chilean Students Movement ( Confederation of Chilean Students ) (Chile) All prior recipients honored Benjamin Chavis, Jr. Benjamin Franklin Chavis Jr. (born January 22, 1948, in Oxford, North Carolina ) is an African-American activist, author, journalist, and

497-692: A negotiated solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . In partnership with the World Council of Churches , it has traditionally sought to balance its approach, seeking safety and protection for both the Jewish and Palestinian communities. It has focused on meeting needs of the victims of this conflict in all communities and supporting continued negotiations. Since the late 1960s the NCC has taken positions sympathetic towards Palestinian land rights and supportive of

568-484: A response to "industrial problems" that arose during the rapid industrialization of the United States . The primary concern was the protection of workers in a host of areas including wages, working conditions, child labor , and a six-day work week (reduced from seven). During the next 40 plus years, FCC remained engaged in the domestic social problems of the day as well as international problems that threatened to draw

639-603: A secure Israel. More recently, NCC has been particularly concerned with the plight of Christian communities in the region. Some of NCC's member communions have congregations or partners in the region that are being directly affected. However, the NCC's "witness to the need for vigilance in brokering peace extends to our concern for all people in the region, whether they be Christians, Jews , Muslims , Baháʼís or others, and whether they be Israelis , Palestinians , Syrians , Egyptians , or others." The council has supported many poverty alleviation efforts, including increases to

710-526: Is a member of the interdenominational World Council of Churches and, through the WCC, is in communication with denominations of numerous theological stances. They have released several joint statements over the years. Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker Smith of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. , a member church of the NCC, is the WCC's president from North America. The NCC Faith and Order Commission

781-476: Is an ongoing, scholarly, ecumenical dialogue among North American Christian theologians and ecclesiastical historians, including evangelical, Pentecostal, Roman Catholic , Orthodox, mainline Protestant, and African-American scholars. In 2007, the commission celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Through the "Interreligious Relations Convening Table", the NCC is in dialogue with representatives of Islam , Judaism , Hinduism , Buddhism and Sikhism . Since 2004,

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852-648: Is based. The series began in 1872 under the auspices of the National Sunday School Convention. The NCC also published until 2012 the annual Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches , since 1916 a widely used reference work on trends, statistics and programmatic information on religious organizations in North America. Future editions of the yearbook will be published by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB). The NCC

923-628: Is in dialogue with the National Council of Synagogues, a partnership of Reformed , Conservative , and the Reconstructionist groups in Judaism for the purpose of interfaith affairs. The main focus of discussion between the NCC and NCS is pastoral affairs and community issues such as antisemitism . Their most recent meeting was in December of 2023. Orthodox Judaism is presently not in dialogue with

994-671: Is the largest and broadest national coalition of hip-hop artists, recording industry executives, youth activists and civil rights leaders. With the support of the major hip-hop labels, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and others, the HSAN has sponsored successful "Hip-Hop Summits" in New York, New York , Kansas City, Missouri , Oakland, California , Los Angeles, California , Washington, DC , Miami, Florida , Seattle , Washington, and Dallas, Texas . Meetings with

1065-463: The Catholic Church , fundamentalist groups, Southern Baptists , and Missouri Synod Lutherans , which are not officially a part of the council's membership. All NCC member organizations subscribe to the NCC's statement of faith, which forms the preamble to the NCC's charter: The National Council of Churches is a community of Christian communions, which, in response to the gospel as revealed in

1136-502: The Federal Council of Churches in 1908, and expanded through merger with several other ecumenical organizations to become the National Council of Churches in 1950. Its Interim President and General Secretary is Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie. The first efforts at ecumenical organization emerged in May 1908 with the creation of the Federal Council of Churches (FCC). The FCC was created as

1207-478: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), vocal stands before the U.S. Congress on the unconstitutionality of censoring rap lyrics, the development of literacy programs, Youth Councils, voter registration drives in conjunction with Rap The Vote, the voice for the poor, and the fight for children's public education, fill Chavis' days (and nights). In 2002, Chavis and

1278-1389: The Letelier-Moffitt Case Saul Landau (Special Recognition Award) Marian Kramer and the National Welfare Rights Union Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) Rose Johnson, Georgia Project Director of the Center for Democratic Renewal Haitian Human Rights Platform Asian Immigrant Women Advocates Leo Valladares Sin Fronteras Organizing Project Alianza Civica Coordinacion Colombia-Europa Kensington Welfare Rights Union November Coalition All prior recipients honored Jobs with Justice Naúl Ojeda (Special Recognition Award, posthumously) CASA de Maryland Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Special Recognition Award) Military Families Speak Out Barrios Unidos Gulf Coast Renewal Campaign Appeal for Redress DC Vote (Special Recognition Award) Indian Workers Congress La Mesa Nacional Frente

1349-756: The National African American Leadership Summit (NAALS). A constitution and by-laws were adopted that month. Chavis served as executive director and CEO of NAALS from 1995 to 1997. In 1995, NAALS appointed Chavis to serve as the National Director of the Million Man March Organizing Committee that conceived, designed, arranged and promoted the Million Man March . Chavis wrote a nationally syndicated newspaper column Civil Rights Journal from 1985 to 1993. At

1420-562: The National Council of Churches ( NCC ), is the largest ecumenical body in the United States . NCC is an ecumenical partnership of 38 Christian faith groups in the United States . Its member communions include mainline Protestant , Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox , African-American , evangelical , and historic peace churches . Together, it encompasses more than 100,000 local congregations and 40 million adherents. It began as

1491-633: The Vietnam War , the NCC found itself in opposition to growing US military action . In 1965, the General Board stated that "unilateral action by the United States in Southeast Asia will not lead to peace." The NCC's position against the Vietnam War became increasingly strident in the 1960s and 1970s, and in some cases, alienated the laity of some member communions. NCC has been a consistent supporter of

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1562-662: The 1908 creed, the "Social Creed for the 21st Century" included additional principles, including: These creeds have formed the basis, growing out of a common Christian faith, of the work of the NCC in public policy matters. For a number of years, the NCC maintained a separate policy advocacy office in Washington, D.C. Located in the United Methodist Building on Capitol Hill , the NCC Washington Office served as an ecumenical hub through which it could interact with

1633-410: The 1970s , NCC issued a statement in which it called for "Ecological Justice". The statement called for more work on renewable energy, reductions in energy sources that pollute, and support for energy sources that did not have adverse effects on communities (health, economic, etc.). This statement helped form the basis for the creation of the NCC's Eco-Justice program. Housed in the NCC Washington Office,

1704-557: The 1980s, Chavis witnessed the growing popularity of hip-hop with disfranchised youth entrapped into urban poverty. While serving as a mentor to Sister Souljah , Kevin Powell , Little Rob, Ras Baraka and other hip-hop activists, Chavis met Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen in 1986 at Def Jam Records. As head of the NAACP in 1993, he worked with Run DMC to mobilize youth voters. Hip-hop's premier video director, Hype Williams , cast Chavis in

1775-635: The Black Curriculum Resource Center. W. Sterling Cary , the first Black president of the NCC who was elected in 1972, was a vocal advocate for racial justice and the Black Power movement . Since its inception, the NCC had been skeptical of the usefulness of war. During World War II, the Federal Council of Churches formed a Committee on Conscientious Objectors to advocate for the right of people of faith to refuse military service. During

1846-605: The Federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new trial and overturned the original conviction because of "prosecutorial misconduct." Chavis drew from this experience in his books: An American Political Prisoner Appeals for Human Rights (1978) (written while he was still in prison) and Psalms from Prison. In 1978, Chavis was named as one of the first winners of the Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award . On December 31, 2012, Chavis and

1917-631: The HSAN joined the United Federation of Teachers and the New York Alliance for Quality Education (AQE) to organize the largest public demonstration since New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg took office. The Washington Post reported, "Hip-hop's brightest stars, from P. Diddy to Jay-Z to Alicia Keys , lent a little star power today to a demonstration by roughly 100,000 students, teachers and rap fans who crammed eight blocks outside City Hall to protest drastic school budget cuts proposed by

1988-670: The HipHopSodaShop, the first hip-hop corporation that soon opened two shops in Tampa and Miami, Florida. Due to pre-existing conditions, H3 closed the shops, and Chavis retired. One year later, H3 Enterprises sued Chavis for mismanagement, however an amicable settlement was reached in this case after the routine countersuit of Chavis. Chavis was the president of Education Online Services in Fort Lauderdale, until he retired to accept other opportunities for professional advancement. He serves as

2059-614: The Million Man March (1995) and Million Family March (2000), Russell Simmons worked with him to mobilize hip-hop leaders to support the marches. Ultimately, the two men realized they had a similar vision for this generation of hip-hop youth, and to that end, they created the first national "Hip-Hop Summit" in New York City , from which grew the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN). One-and-a-half years later, HSAN

2130-617: The NCC aided in forming the "National Muslim-Christian Dialogue" with the Islamic Circle of North America , and the United States Council of Muslim Organizations. In addition to theological discussions, the dialogue has focused on social issues including Islamophobia in the United States . Since 2010, there has been an annual dialogue between the participants. In 2015 the interfaith dialogue participants came to 16 theological points of agreement between Christianity and Islam. The NCC

2201-709: The NCC together with the Synagogue Council of America and the National Catholic Welfare Conference , convened the National Conference on Religion and Race, which issued An Appeal to the Conscience of the American People for a moral end to racism. From 1966 until 1973 Olivia P. Stokes was associate director of urban education in the NCC's Department of Educational Development, developing

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2272-570: The NCC, participants include the Guibord Center, Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple, Claremont School of Theology , and the University of the West . Presently the dialogue is focused on bilateral understanding of the two faiths. The "National Sikh-Christian Dialogue" was started by the NCC in 2019 and is in communication with the Sikh Council of Interfaith Relations. Recent discussions include understanding

2343-594: The NCC. Concerning their dialogue with Hinduism, the NCC established the "National Hindu-Christian Dialogue" in 2018. Through this dialogue, they are in discussions with the Vedanta Society of Southern California which is under the spiritual leadership of the Ramakrishna Order . They also established the "National Buddhist-Christian Dialogue" in 2018 for discussions with those of the Buddhist faith. In addition to

2414-657: The Scriptures, confess Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, as Savior and Lord. These communions covenant with one another to manifest ever more fully the unity of the Church. Relying upon the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, the communions come together as the Council in common mission, serving in all creation to the glory of God. Since its founding in 1950, one of the primary activities of NCC has been to effect positive change for

2485-653: The US into war. Its progressive social program along with support of conscientious objectors to World War II garnered stiff criticism from Christian fundamentalist circles. By 1950, numerous programs and efforts of social uplift had formed in addition to the FCC. Seeking greater unity, a dozen ecumenical bodies (including the FCC) gathered in Cleveland , Ohio, in 1950 to discuss how to more effectively organize their common work. Out of this meeting, via

2556-590: The United States and throughout the world. In 1993, Chavis was selected as the executive director and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the youngest to hold this office. Chavis first joined the organization at the age of twelve as a youth leader of the Granville County, North Carolina NAACP Branch. Chavis traveled to a Los Angeles, CA housing project to "get to

2627-589: The Wilmington 10 on December 31, 2012. Chavis received his Master of Divinity ( magna cum laude ) from Duke University (1980) and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) from Howard University (1981). Chavis was admitted into the PhD program in Systematic Theology as a graduate student at Union Theological Seminary of Columbia University and completed all of the academic course requirements in 1984. In 1963, while

2698-586: The World , Habitat for Humanity , and Children's Defense Fund , to press for broad policy initiatives that address poverty issues. The council helped launch the Let Justice Roll grassroots anti-poverty campaign that has been successful in raising the minimum wage in more than 20 states since 2005. In 2018, the council issued a statement opposing the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court . NCC

2769-586: The betterment of society. Adopted in December 1908, "The Social Creed of the Churches" was a statement by members of the Federal Council of Churches against what it described as "industrial problems". The document spelled out a list of principles, including: In 2007, the NCC updated its social creed to reflect a new era of globalization. The goal was to "offer a vision of a society that shares more and consumes less, seeks compassion over suspicion and equality over domination, and finds security in joined hands rather than massed arms." In addition to those areas mentioned in

2840-482: The black high school, laid off its principal and most of its teachers, and distributed the students to other schools, there had been conflicts with white students. The administration did not hear their grievances, and the students organized a boycott to protest for their civil rights. Chavis and nine others were arrested in February 1972, charged with conspiracy and arson. Following a controversial trial, all ten were convicted in 1972. The oldest man at age 24, Chavis drew

2911-421: The city for school desegregation. The oldest at 24, he was sentenced to 34 years in prison and served two years. The convictions and sentences were appealed. In 1980 the federal appeals court overturned the convictions, citing "prosecutorial misconduct." and ordering a new trial. The state of North Carolina decided against a trial. North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue issued "Pardons of innocence" to each member of

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2982-465: The civil rights movement throughout the 1950s and 1960s. NCC created a Race Relations Sunday to educate and call to action mainline Christians nationwide. In 1961, Andrew Young left his position with the National Council of Churches to join the Southern Christian Leadership Conference , eventually becoming that organization's executive director. When the Civil Rights Act was introduced in 1964, NCC lobbied heavily for its swift adoption. In January 1963,

3053-457: The correlation between race and the location of toxic waste throughout the United States . Chavis is considered by many environmental grassroots activists to be the "Godfather of the post-modern environmental justice movement" that has steadily grown throughout the nation and world since the early 1980s. In 1988, Chavis was elected vice president of the National Council of Churches . Chavis also served as chairman of its Prophetic Justice unit as

3124-507: The current president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association . He serves as national co-chair for the political organization No Labels . In his youth, Chavis was a youth coordinator and SCLC assistant to Martin Luther King Jr. , who inspired him to work in the civil rights movement . At the age of 23, Chavis rose to international prominence in 1971 as the leader of the Wilmington Ten in North Carolina, civil rights activists who were unjustly convicted of committing arson. As

3195-401: The forward of a 1993 testimonial of the environmental justice movement: Environmental racism is racial discrimination in environmental policymaking. It is racial discrimination in the enforcement of regulations and laws. It is racial discrimination in the deliberate targeting of communities of color for toxic waste disposal and the siting of polluting industries. It is racial discrimination in

3266-455: The heart of the issue," stating that in economically deprived areas, youth often go from childhood to adulthood with no adolescence because of the economic demands. On August 28, 1993, NAACP Chairman William Gibson, Executive Director Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., Coretta Scott King , William Fauntroy, and AFL-CIO's Lane Kirkland joined to organize the 30th Anniversary March on Washington for Economic Democracy. In 1993, President Clinton named Chavis to

3337-487: The longest sentence, 34 years. The ten were incarcerated while supporters pursued appeals. The case of the Wilmington Ten was condemned internationally as a political prosecution. In 1978 Amnesty International described Benjamin Chavis and eight others of the Wilmington Ten still in prison as "American political prisoners " under the definition of the Universal Rights of Man and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They were prisoners of conscience. In December 1980,

3408-715: The merger of the Federal Council of Churches with several other ecumenical bodies, emerged the NCC. During the late 1950s and early 1960s (it is unclear from the reference how long this continued), the National Council of Churches received some funding from the "Foundation for Youth and Student Affairs", a front funded by the CIA to oppose communism . The council's 38 member communions include mainline Protestant , Eastern Orthodox , African-American , evangelical , and historic peace churches . Individual adherents of more than 50 Christian faith groups actively participate in NCC study groups, commissions, and ministries. Some of these participants belong to Christian faith groups such as

3479-405: The minimum wage and ecumenical efforts such as the Circle of Protection and the Faithful Budget Campaign. In 2013, during restructuring, NCC spun off its department dealing with poverty issues into a new organization, the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative. NCC continues its work on poverty through its support of EPI as well as partnerships with other likeminded organizations. During the oil crisis of

3550-509: The national board of directors of the NAACP elected Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr as the executive director and CEO of civil rights organization. Chavis later served in 1995 as the National Director of the Million Man March , and the Founder and CEO of the National African American Leadership Summit (NAALS). Since 2001, Chavis has been CEO and Co- Chairman of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, in New York City which he co-founded with hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons . On June 24, 2014, Chavis became

3621-644: The new mayor." Chavis joined " Sex and the City " star Cynthia Nixon , actor Bruce Willis and Russell Simmons to demand adequate funding for education across the state of New York. Chavis was a spokesperson for TI's Respect My Vote campaign, and introduced TI's performance at the 2008 FAMU Homecoming Concert in Tallahassee Florida that was hosted by FAMU and Blazin 102.3. As a longstanding advocate of entrepreneurial activities for youth and minorities, Chavis has assisted, consulted and headed several commercial projects ranging from franchising to film production and publishing. In 2007 Chavis headed H3 Enterprises and

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3692-442: The numerous denominational policy offices also located in the Methodist Building. Its work centered on areas mentioned in the creeds but also primarily focused around two programs, Eco-Justice and the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative. Both of these programs have been spun off into separate independent organizations since NCC restructuring in 2013. NCC partners with dozens of other faith-based groups in DC and elsewhere, such as Bread for

3763-440: The official sanctioning of the life-threatening presence of poisons and pollutants in communities of color. And, it is racial discrimination in the history of excluding people of color from the mainstream environmental groups, decisionmaking boards, commissions, and regulatory bodies. In 1986 Chavis conducted and published the landmark national study: Toxic Waste and Race in the United States of America , that statistically revealed

3834-440: The oldest of the ten, Chavis received the longest sentence of 34 years in NC prisons. The Wilmington Ten convictions and sentences were appealed and overturned, and in 1980 all ten were freed by the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals due to "prosecutorial misconduct." Chavis returned to graduate school and the field of civil rights, and he became a vice president of the National Council of Churches in 1988 in New York City. In 1993,

3905-417: The pivotal role as the "Rev. Saviour" in the 1998 hip-hop classic movie Belly , which starred superstar hip-hop artists Nas , Method Man and DMX . Chavis performed the Intro and Outro to Jim Jones and the Diplomats 2004 hip-hop album, "On My Way to Church." In 2005, Chavis was the spoken word artist feature in Cassidy 's latest platinum selling album I'm a Hustla . When Chavis helped organize both

3976-529: The president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, an African-American organization which focuses on supporting and advocating for publishers of the nation's more than 230 black newspapers. Benjamin Franklin Chavis Jr. was born and grew up in Oxford, North Carolina . In 1960 at the age of twelve, Chavis became the first African American to be issued a library card at the segregated public library. He graduated from Mary Potter High School in 1965 and entered St. Augustine College in Raleigh as

4047-406: The problem of a justice system based on retribution and the over-representation of communities of color in the prison population. More recently, NCC has worked for sentencing reform to reduce mandatory minimum sentences , advocated for clemency for individuals who were over sentenced, and prison conditions . In addition, NCC has also broadened this work to include police reform , especially in

4118-407: The program focused on federal environmental policy. In 2013, the Eco-Justice program was spun off into its own organization, Creation Justice Ministries. CJM continues to work with NCC and its 38 member communions to coordinate efforts to protect the environment. Over the past three years , NCC has taken a more active role in the struggle against mass incarceration . As early as 1979, NCC recognized

4189-425: The same time, he produced and hosted a national radio program of the same name. The journey into the hip-hop culture actually had its roots for Chavis dating back to 1969 when he was the proprietor and regular "DJ" and "MC" for The Soul Kitchen Disco in his hometown of Oxford, North Carolina. In the 1970s, Chavis saw the connection between the urban culture of underground music and the post-civil rights era. During

4260-404: The senior strategic advisor to the Diamond Empowerment Fund in New York. In June 2014, the National Newspaper Publishers Association elected Chavis to the office of president of their two hundred member association. A popular public speaker, Chavis frequently addresses academic, commercial and non-profit organizations and is a prominent spokesman in the national and international media. Chavis

4331-447: The special South African elections on April 26. Through the NAACP Community Development Resource Centers (CDRC), the association established the Youth Entrepreneurial Institute to sharpen business acumen and launch enterprises for students ages fourteen to eighteen. In May 1994, Chavis led the NAACP and other organizations in sponsoring a youth summit to seek solutions to the drugs and violence in their communities. In August 1994 Chavis

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4402-474: The state to desegregate. In 1970, after the killing of 23-year-old Henry Marrow and the acquittal by an all-white jury of the three men indicted on charges, Chavis organized a protest march from Oxford to North Carolina's State Capitol Building, in Raleigh. After the Oxford-to-Raleigh march, Chavis organized a black boycott of white businesses in Oxford that lasted for 18 months until the town agreed to integrate its public facilities, including schools. Chavis

4473-535: The surviving members of the Wilmington Ten were granted Pardons of Innocence by North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue . The New York Times editorialized for the pardons of innocence for the Wilmington 10 as the case had become an international cause celebre as an example of virulent racist political prosecution. Some have asserted that Chavis coined the term environmental racism in 1982, during environmental justice protests in Warren County, North Carolina , although Carolyn A. Burrow (Adjoa Aiyetero) had used

4544-423: The term in 1970. Over the past four decades, Chavis has emerged as the "Godfather of the Environmental Justice Movement." Some have asserted that Benjamin Chavis cried out: "this is environmental racism!" at the moment of his arrest during the 1982 PCB landfill protests in North Carolina, but legal scholar Richard J. Lazarus found this likely apocryphal; Chavis first was recorded using the term in 1987. He writes in

4615-428: The twenty-five-member President's Council on Sustainable Development to help develop U.S. policies that would encourage economic growth, job creation, and environmental protection. The NAACP in 1993 received a $ 2 million commitment from the estate of the late Reginald F. Lewis to establish the NAACP Reginald F. Lewis Memorial Endowment. Chavis spoke on the PBS series Earthkeeping. He said that "environmental racism"

4686-398: The wake of much publicized shootings in places such as Baton Rouge , Minneapolis , and Dallas . The NCC fostered the multi-denominational research effort that produced the Revised Standard Version and the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible , and holds the copyrights to both translations. The NCC sponsors the research program on which the Uniform Sunday School Lesson Series

4757-449: Was a life-and-death issue and noted the work of the NAACP to end it. Chavis said that often people of color were excluded from decisions on public policy. The NAACP organized Branches to speak out on the issue and advocated for reform of the Superfund legislation. In 1994, Chavis set the NAACP's focus on economic empowerment to ensure a strong economic infrastructure for the African-American and other communities of color. The NAACP created

4828-425: Was appointed Field Officer in the United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice in 1968. Chavis was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 1980 and in 1985 was named the executive director and CEO of the UCC-CRJ. In 1971 the Commission for Racial Justice assigned Field Officer Chavis to Wilmington, North Carolina to help desegregate the public school system. Since the city had abruptly closed

4899-579: Was closely aligned with leaders in the civil rights movement , including Martin Luther King Jr. and Andrew Young . The NCC was an important link to mainline churches for the civil rights movement and it consistently condemned segregation during the Montgomery bus boycott and other actions. In a speech to NCC in 1957, King thanked the NCC for its support: "This great body—the National Council of Churches—has condemned segregation over and over again, and has requested its constituent denominations to do likewise." The NCC continued to be closely intertwined with

4970-401: Was dismissed by the NAACP executive board in a 53 to 5 vote over a report that he had authorized payment of NAACP funds to his former assistant to drop a sexual discrimination claim. Chavis sued the NAACP but a settlement was reached in October 1994. In 1994, Chavis convened summit conferences of civil rights leaders in Baltimore in August and in Chicago in December. In June 1995, they founded

5041-424: Was married to the late Martha Rivera Chavis and is the father of eight children, three of whom are by his first wife, the late Jackie Bullock Chavis. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. Chavis has told an interviewer he reads books on chemistry, for pleasure. Notes Bibliography National Council of Churches The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA , usually identified as

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